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looseTman drank Assam Gold by The Tea Merchant

139 tasting notes

Sample package label:
“The Perfect Tea for the coffee lover looking for a healthier alternative. This impossibly smooth malty organic tea comes from the Assam region of Northern India. It brews a rich golden infusion with lots of character and may be steeped multiple times.
Ingredients: Organic black Tea
USDA Organic, Caffeine: Medium, Steep: 3-5 Minutes”

Thanks to Joey Landford, The Tea Merchant, for the additional recommended brewing instructions: A little less than 1 tsp. / 205*F / 8oz.

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 21 ppm, heated to 212*F and allowed to cool to 205*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer.
1 scant Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

The fragrance of this tea has hints of tobacco
Golden hue

First cup:
3-min: Smooth but light-bodied I then steeped it an additional min.
4-min: Improving
5-min: Smooth & medium bodied. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency. Since this is an Assam, I suspected more tea was needed.

2nd Cup – 1 Rounded Tsp.:
3-min: Smooth and medium-bodied.
4-min: Smooth and full-bodied.
5-min: Smooth & full-bodied with a malty character. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency

6-min re-steep:
Smooth & lighter than the first infusion.

Impression: This Assam is a full-bodied, malty tea without any bitterness or astringency.

Thanks to Joey, The Tea Merchant, for providing this generous size free sample.

Preparation

205 °F / 96 °C 5 min, 0 sec

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My wife and I enjoy shou that:
- is Full-bodied, thick, rich, creamy smooth
- produces a full-mouth feeling with a long pleasing finish
- w/o obvious acidity, astringency, or bitterness
- Retains this profile & is complex enough to enjoy for multiple steeps

Notes of interest:
- natural rich chocolate (as opposed to too bittersweet cocoa)
- honey, caramel, stone fruits, sweet potato, barley, fresh baked bread

Notes not of interest: Floral, vegetal, woody.

Cost-effective organic teas or teas that meet the EU Food Safety Commission Pesticide Maximum Residue Limit EUROFINS are greatly appreciated. Many people drink tea for the anti-oxidant health benefits. So why would health conscious tea lovers drink tea that contains pesticide residues?

Complete steeping instructions on the bag are greatly appreciated:
tsp. (g) / oz. / temp. / rinse? / min. for both Western & Gongfu brewing.

Our recent orders have been from: Yunnan Sourcing, King Tea Mall, Whispering Pines, & Arbor Teas. Kudos to them as they have all been extremely helpful.

Our cupboard doesn’t include the many greatly appreciated samples generously provided by Steepsters’s favorite tea suppliers and by several very kind Steepster members.

Current Gogng Fu Brewing Method:
20g / 6 oz / 205° / 60s preheat / 60s warm leaves / 5s rinse / 5 min rest / 5s / 5 / 7 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 /30 / 45 / 60. Every two steeps combined in a sharing pitcher.

High quality water is essential for excellent tasting tea.
Our 450’ well provides hard water. For details see: http://steepster.com/looseTman/posts/176233#comments.

Solutions:
#1. Rainsoft water softener with
Q2 computerized control valve

#2. Abundant Flow Water
Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System with an Impact Alkaline re-mineralization filter
Model: Zeta RO: https://www.afwfilters.com/drinking-ro-systems/6-stage-alkaline-zoi-zeta-reverse-osmosis-system-16.html
Includes:
- Dow Filmtec TFC R.O. membrane
- Omnipure Inline Post filter
- Impact Alkaline Filter
All filters made in USA & NSF-Certified.
-———————————
Options:
- Aquatec ERP-500 & ASV 2000
- 3/8" Output
- HM Digital DM-2 TDS meter

My profile picture is a Red-Breasted Nuthatch, a winter visitor to our woodpecker feeder.

Location

Mid-Atlantic, USA

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